NFL PREVIEW GUIDE: New York Jets 2024

Four snaps was all it took for the New York Jets’ much anticipated 2023 season to come crumbling down. Four snaps and franchise saviour Aaron Rodgers was carted off the field following a torn Achilles.

If you ever believed that the Jets were a cursed franchise, then this was your confirmation.

In the years prior Joe Douglas and Robert Saleh had been building up a star-studded squad designed to make the Jets contenders, but they were a QB away. It was clear that Zach Wilson was not the answer, so the decision to find his replacement was made.

Fortunately for the Jets, disgruntled four-time MVP, Aaron Rodgers, was available for trade and the Jets made their move. The decision seemed mutually beneficial. Rodgers gave the Jets their best quarterback talent in recent history, while the Jets gave Rodgers a team capable of winning his second Superbowl.

This situation appeared to be a winning formula in recent years, with Tom Brady and Matthew Stafford having immediate success when moving to a contender. But in this case, it was an immediate disaster with Jets fans staring down the barrel of another disappointing season.

Same old same old

The Jets finished the season 7-10. It was their thirteenth consecutive year where they missed the playoffs and their eighth successive season where they had a losing record. However, the most painful part is that it was painfully obvious that if they even had mediocre quarterback play, then they would have been a great team.

In Zach Wilson and Tim Boyle, the Jets had some of the worst quarterback play that failed to get anything out of the talent they had on offence. The likes of Garrett Wilson and Breece Hall saw their talents wasted due to the QB’s ineptitude on display.

The defence, as expected, played excellent and was the primary reason why the Jets accumulated seven wins. But it was all for nought.

While it may be risky for fans of the Jets to allow themselves to feel any form of excitement, all the ingredients are there for this to be a great team, as long as Rodgers can remain healthy.

Protection Incoming

To keep Rodgers healthy, the Jets made some significant investments in the offensive line during the offseason. Poor offensive line play has plagued the Jets for some years now, and they hope that their additions can spell the end to this need.

Future hall of famer Tyron Smith was brought in to protect Rodgers’ blindside, while former Jets, Morgan Moses, was brought back following a trade with the Baltimore Ravens. They also beefed up the interior by bringing in guard John Simpson.

The Jets will hope that by bringing in proven veterans, they can hit the ground running, and will not have to rely on young prospects developing. They did utilise their 10th overall pick by bringing in tackle Ole Fashanu, but if all goes according to plan, he can sit behind the starters and develop.

While that may be the plan, expect him to wind up featuring a fair bit. While Tryon Smith’s greatness is undeniable, so too is his injury record. His injury reports make for lengthy reading and he cannot be relied upon to stay healthy for an entire season, so Fashanu will need to get up to speed quickly.

New Weapons

Additionally, the Jets also signed Mike Williams to start alongside Garrett Wilson. Like many others so far, his health will be a factor as his final season for the Chargers was cut short by an ACL tear. But if he can perform to the level he has so far in his career, he should become a strong second option in this offence.

Tyrod Taylor was brought in to secure the spot of backup QB. Jets fans will have been relieved to see this in case the worst-case scenario comes true again. If Rodgers does go down at any point in the upcoming season, they’ll at least be able to turn to a proven veteran quarterback and the season won’t be totally lost.

The Jets’ major defensive addition this offseason was in the form of trading for pass rusher Hasson Reddick, who will be replacing Bryce Huff. While Reddicks production coming off the edge is strong, this move hasn’t started out too successfully. Reddick has been a no-show at training camp, holding out for a new deal and using his newfound leverage to put the Jets in a tricky position.

The Jets passed up one of their most influential pass rushers in Bryce Huff, so they’ll be reliant on Reddick to fill the gap effectively. And Reddick knows this too.

Outside of Ole Fashanu, the Jets’ next most valuable draft pick was wide receiver Malachi Corley, who Aaron Rodgers has already expressed excitement about playing with. Corley fell to the third round with many citing his unpolished route running as the reason why, but with the ball in his hands he has the potential to be special.

After him, the Jets took running back Braelon Davis in the fourth and quarterback Jordan Travis in the fifth. These selections classify purely as depth and developmental pieces and Jets fans will be happy not to see much of them in the season ahead.

Expectations

This is an incredibly important season for the future of the current New York Jets. If they are not successful then it could see the end of the current regime whether that is fair or not.

Even if Rodgers once again goes down injured, Saleh and Douglas could still end up on the hot seat. This is because they’re going into their fifth season as a duo and are yet to reach the postseason.

Some would see the Jets just making the postseason as a success given that they have the current longest playoff appearance drought in North America. However, anything less than a deep playoff run should be considered a failure.

The Jets roster is loaded with talent, both on the offence and the defence. It makes sense as to why Rodgers wanted to get traded there as it present him with one of the best opportunities of reaching the Superbowl.

The AFC East is a strong but winnable division. As long as the Buffalo Bills have Josh Allen, they should always be contenders, but they are in need of a roster rebuild. The Miami Dolphins are a glass cannon, boasting an offence that can put up a lot of points fast but can crumble against pressure.

If the Jets play to the level they are capable of then they will win their division as they have the strongest team. Everything depends on the health of the team and whether Aaron Rodgers can play at a level close to what we’re used to from him. He may come back fully healthy, but he’ll be turning 41 during the season, and time waits for no one.